Other Path: Son of Asgard
by BloodBoredom
Summary: The death of his parents left Minato Arisato orphaned, but not homeless. A debt to his parents by an errant God of Thunder has him grow in the influence of heroes. Returning to Midgard is one thing, but the battle against Shadows will be forever changed.
1. Chapter 1

-Asgard-

*Considering that Thor vanished for a bit after Ragnarok, imagine this as inspired by 616, but not quite the same on the details.

_A little boy with blue hair sat quietly by the window of the corporate building, the rain was pouring, the road ten floors below him was beginning to flood._

_"They're really gone, huh?" _Minato thought to himself

_*Boom*_

_The loud crackling of thunder shot through the air._

_"I didn't see any lightning there," _the newly orphaned boy scratched his head in confusion.

_-Meanwhile-_

_Takeharu Kirijo was not happy, he had only been informed of the specifics of the secret research laboratory moments after the accident._

"Sins of the father..." the man sighed as he looked at a nearby mirror, his freshly wounded eye reminding him of his failure.

_*PING*_

_The intercom beeped loudly, interrupting the man's brooding._

"What is it?" the company president asked with a hint of irritation.

"S-someone's here for you sir," the secretary stuttered.

"I don't have any appointments for today," Takeharu replied, rubbing his weary eyes.

_*SLAM*_

_The office door nearly broke as it opened with an inhuman force._

"Takeharu Kirijo, I presume?" a largely built man with long, golden hair announced.

"..." the Japanese man stared quietly as he took a cigar from his desk, "that's correct."

_The Kirijo Group head studied the man's strange clothes._

_"He looks familiar," _the one-eyed man thought, _"now where have I..."_

"I am Thor Odinson, Asgardian god of Thunder," the large man stated aloud.

"Ah, the Avengers," the company head muttered as he wondered if the superhero team had caught wind of the experiments.

"Yes, but now, I stand for Asgardian interests," the man answered as he set his hammer down, "the Asgardians owe a debt to the boy's parents, their untimely passing means that we must repay their good deeds thru him."

"And what did his parents do for Asgard exactly?" the Kirijo head inquired.

"They were instrumental in the reclaiming of the Casket of Ancient Winters when Malekith the Accursed invaded your world," the blonde man replied.

"He has no other family so I suppose he can go with you, if he'd accept your offer," the raven-haired man spoke in a calm manner.

"There is one other matter I would like to discuss," Thor voiced out before closing the doors.

"..." Takeharu did not take his one good eye away from the Asgardian, "And what would that be?"

"The boy will be asking questions sooner or later," the blonde eyed the company head suspiciously, "is there anything I should know?"

"So you know about what happened?" the Japanese man cursed himself mentally, "My father was dedicated to his work."

"Even we of Asgard were able to sense your 'father's work'," the Avenger stated.

"And what did they propose on doing?" Takeharu wondered as he set his cigar down.

"They wanted to burn this world down before the tear spreads," Thor concluded, "but our mystics found a way to isolate us from the effects of your dark science."

"Did they say how much time we have left?" the mortal was shaken by the possible consequences of his actions.

"Little over ten years, but the Avengers and I won't let that happen, I swear," the God of Thunder finished the conversation with utmost conviction.

_-A Few Minutes Later-_

_The young blue haired boy noticed that the rain had let up, it had been a few hours since he had been given his dinner and it was only then that the little boy realized that he no longer had a mother or a father to take him home or tuck him in at night._

"..." the boy continued staring at the ground below, a sullen look in his eyes.

"He's over there," the corporate executive pointed at the boy's general direction.

"Huh?" the sudden arrival of company startled the lad, forcing him to hide behind a nearby table.

_The Asgardian approached the youth slowly, depositing his hammer by the door to show that he meant no harm._

"Little friend, it is I," the God of Thunder stretched his palm out towards the child.

"Th-Thor?" Minato mumbled as he sneaked a peak at the visitor.

"Yes," the blonde man gave a weak smile, "you've been thru much this past week."

"So you know?" the boy asked, "...about mom and dad?"

"..." the Asgardian kept silent, choosing his next words wisely, "yes, we received the news just this morning, we were too far away."

"Could you have stopped it?" the little bluenette said with a grim tone in his voice.

"No," Thor answered, unsure if the boy would take it, "the circumstances behind it are much different than what you've seen the Avengers and other heroes do."

"I know," the boy reassured his new caretaker, "I saw _it_ with my own eyes."

_-Asgard, The Arrival-_

_The rainbow bridge had opened up to the lord of Asgard, his new ward astounded by its majesty._

"It's majestic," the boy said, momentarily forgetting his grief.

"That it is, my blue-haired friend," Thor pat the lad on the back, "but there are many more wonders to be seen here."

_Suddenly, the duo were stopped by an imposing man with an eye patch._

"And who do you bring with you, Odinson?" the man said with a calm air about him.

"Ah, Heimdall, this is our new guest, Minato Arisato," the Avenger answered with a light grin.

"Arisato?" the man was taken aback, studying the boy's frame more closely, "The hair color is rather hard to come by."

"I'm Japanese," the boy stated, thinking that it would help his case, "this isn't even the strangest color of hair I've seen."

"Haha," the one-eyed man laughed heartily, "you Midgardians and your wits, very well, welcome to Asgard!"

_The boy's eyes widened at the sight of the ancient civilization, the walls larger than anything he had ever seen, and behind these walls, the city was bustling with life. The unlikely duo began with a stroll around the busier areas of the kingdom._

"Ah, Odinson," a blonde man accompanied by an intimidating figure and a jovial giant waved at the duo, "who is this dashing young lad accompanying you?"

"He is the son of some old friends of ours from Midgard," the Norse god answered as he bent over to introduce the boy to one of his friends, "young Arisato, these are Fandral the Dashing, Hogun the Grim and Volstag the Voluminous."

"Hi," the boy greeted sheepishly.

"Arisato?" the large, bearded man rubbed his chin, "Your parents were exceptionally brave people when the Casket was taken from Asgard, why we should train you to be as great a hero as they were, if not greater."

"..." the Grim nodded in approval.

"It's decided then, the Warrior's Three shall be your tutors in the ways of combat my young, ocean haired friend," the Dashing grinned as he held the child in his arms.

_The boy looked at the Avenger with eyes filled with fear and dread._

_-Three Years Later-_

_The boy had adapted rather well to life on Asgard after enough time, there was of course the occasional trip to Midgard to meet with the Avengers and enjoy New York and all its wonders. Today was special for it was viewed as Minato's right of passage, a ceremonial quest to be considered an Asgardian._

"I can't believe it," Lady Sif chuckled as she stared at the mop of blue hair that was moving about several stories below her window, "he was so tiny when he first arrived."

"Aye, he's grown since then," Thor hummed in approval, "and I have every confidence that he will complete this trial much like he has the others."

"He didn't look like he could handle the training at first," the raven-haired woman said fondly, "but look at him now, I hope you aren't offended if I say it's like having a son."

_The years in Asgard had done wonders for the mortal, his body had been trained for battle, he was no Asgardian, but he was in better shape than most his age, his instincts honed to that of a battle worthy warrior and his experience in his quests alongside Thor, The Warriors Three, Lady Sif and Valkyrie have earned him a place in Valhalla should he ever seek it._

"No offense taken Lady Sif, truly, the boy has been a child to many of us," the blonde replied with a wide-grin, "even Loki has kept himself in line around him."

"Loki is indebted to him, which is a feat in itself, I wish days like this would last forever," the woman laughed as she took an apple from a nearby plate, "my brother seems to be on his way here."

_As if on cue, Heimdall knocked on the door with an important announcement._

"Thor, a message has been delivered to our young friend from your armored associate," the watchful eye of Asgard said stoically as he handed the god of Thunder a letter.

"What does it say, beloved?" the woman inquired, taking a peek at the Midgardian message.

"It's asking for him to return to Midgard...to Japan," the Avenger answered with a troubled look, "to finish his mortal education."

"Will he have to leave?" the warrior wondered aloud with an almost tearful expression.

"That is for him to decide, he needs to carry out this quest on his own," the wielder of Mjolnir replied, "he will need some time before he can decide, so I should tell him soon."

_It had been a quiet week from then on..._

_-One Week Later, by the edge of Bifrost, the Rainbow Bridge-_

_A small gathering of Asgard's finest stood firm as they watched the young Midgardian's form going smaller and smaller as he traversed the rainbow bridge._

"Send us some of these 'photographs' of your adventures," the blonde member of the Warriors Three bade with a grin.

"Don't forget the scrumptious delicacies that you may find," Volstagg said cheerfully, earning the stares of the other Asgardians, "What? I've never been to Japan before, but I've heard they have great warriors called Samurai."

"Always thinking with your stomach, eh?" Hogun chuckled, a rare sight, "Any weapon will do for me lad, always curious how other lands fought."

"It sounds as if we're sending the boy to buy wares," Sif said with a judging glare aimed at Asgard's finest.

"I on the other hand will **give **him something for his journey," the Trickster in green laughed as he observed the gazes the others sent, "a charm for whatever you may need to protect yourself from."

_"This is it," _Minato thought to himself as he grasped the charm that he was given by Loki of all people, _"I'll find the truth of what happened all those years ago."_


	2. Chapter 2

_-Other Path: Son of Asgard-_

_-Starting Point-_

* * *

Time never waits.

It delivers all equally to the same end.

You, who wish to safeguard the future, however limited it may be...

You will be given one year; go forth without falter, with your heart as your guide...

* * *

_The Bifrost opened and all the Nine Realms shone as the rainbow bridge that connected them flared to life. The denizens of Asgard stood behind the Watcher as he commanded the bridge._

"Are you ready?" the god asked with a booming voice.

"Yes, Heimdall," the bluenette nodded, "farewell, my friends, may we meet before Valhalla calls for me."

_Minato waved one last time as he vanished, his destination...Midgard._

* * *

_-Tatsumi Port Island, 11:50 P.M.-_

_The Bifrost made contact with unoccupied land, Heimdall's gaze assuring minimal witnesses._

"Tis nightfall already," Minato mused as he hefted his collection of Asgardian weaponry over his shoulder, "now where do I find this 'dormitory' that Stark had spoken of in his correspondence?"

_The youth fumbled around the 'tablet computer' that Iron Man had sent him...Repulsor powered, like the builder's heart._

"Leave it to the Man of Iron to craft such a fine piece of technology," the boy said loudly, eliciting a few stares from the people nearby who simply dismissed him as a cosplayer.

_Playing around with the screen, the blue-headed warrior found the application for the city map, and slowly walked towards his destination._

"Iwatodai dormitory..." the teenager muttered under his breath, "_Thor said that the quest was my own, but I suppose I shouldn't be expecting much in the way of battle in such a quiet place like this._"

* * *

_-Tatsumi Port Island, 12:00 MN-_

_The air around the city became thin, a sickening green enveloped the structures, people vanished and pools of blood appeared everywhere._

_*Slish*_

_"Things are not as they seem," _the adopted son of Asgard thought to himself as he heard the slithers of _something_ nearby.

_*Splosh*_

_The unseen adversary moved faster and faster._

"I'm ill-equipped to deal with something not human," Minato noted that his arsenal was not given any enchantments for potential engagements against supernatural enemies.

_*PING*_

_A loud noise and a bright green light emanated from something in the boy's possession._

_"Loki's charm," _the boy's eyes widened as he stared at his necklace, which was now floating and pulling the boy towards the right, "I better follow it."

_Minato veered right and found himself in an alley, a few crates and a dumpster nearby, as well as a way to the next street._

"The dorm must be there," Asgard's adopted son whispered quietly as he waited for the slithers to grow still, "Now!"

_The bluenete made a mad dash for the door, ignoring what he thought to be some manner of growling from behind. _

* * *

_*CREAK*_

_The wooden doors opened audibly, before being quickly shut by Minato as soon as he had come thru._

"You're late," a little boy in what seemed to be an old prisoner uniform said from behind a counter, "I've been waiting a long time for you."

_The boy snaps his fingers, a red notebook suddenly appears on the desk._

_"That wasn't there before," _the bluenette thought suspiciously.

"Now if you want to proceed, please sign your name there. It's a contract," the eerie child explained, "don't worry, all it says is that you'll accept full responsibility for your actions. You know, the usual stuff."

_Minato Arisato_

_Asgard's adopted son dropped the pen as soon as he finished signing._

_"Why did I...did he use sorcery of some manner?" _the bluenette began to sweat as he studied the youth's calm demeanor

"No one can escape time. It delivers us all to the same end. You can't plug your ears and cover your eyes," the little boy chuckled, taking the contract into his arms and walking towards the darkness, "and so it begins."

_The child vanished soon after, and then came the first time the blue-haired boy met Yukari Takeba, a girl who liked the color pink and was currently holding onto a handgun which was now aimed at the bluenette's face. Taking reflexive action, Minato swiftly headed for the brunette, his right hand grabbing her by the wrist and forcing her to drop her gun._

"I don't exactly consider this as good hospitality," the bluenette said calmly as he kicked the gun away from the girl.

"[What the hell!?]" the girl screamed, "[How'd you get thru the door?]"

"Someone left it open," the boy answered before loosening his grip on the girl.

"[Open?]" Takeba blinked twice, "[Crap, Akihiko-senpai...]"

"[What's going on down there!?]" a strong, feminine voice coming from the direction of the staircase boomed.

"[Mitsuru-senpai!]" the pink-clad girl said in relief as he ran towards the voice.

"Hm," the bluenette scratched the back of his head as he dropped his luggage, eliciting a *THUD* much louder than the knapsack could possibly produce, "this will most assuredly end in a lecture."

_Shifting his gaze back to the staircase, the battle-honed warrior_

"[You are-]" the redhead's eyes widened, "[I'm sorry if you're arrival wasn't as expected.]"

"It's fine," the boy chuckled, "it is quite an unreasonable **hour** to be expecting a welcoming party after all."

"I suppose," Mitsuru hummed in agreement, "Takeba is still shaken so I should show you your room."

"Much thanks," Minato said appreciatively as he followed the mature woman to the second floor of the dormitory, "I learned the All Speak in Asgard, so there are no language barriers for me, so feel free to speak in any tongue."

_In this span of time, the bluenette managed to apologize to the brunette and appreciate the view before him._

"Excuse me?" the redhead asked, slightly uncomfortable at the boy's silence.

"Sorry, I'm still quite exhausted from my journey here," the warrior lied on the spot, "I hope I haven't offended you or your friend in any manner."

"It's fine, good night then," the Kirijo heiress said with a smile before heading back to her room.

_"Need to call home," _the young lad said as he closed the door behind him and procure an object from his bag.

_The object in question was a seemingly ordinary mirror, it would take an eye for detail to discern that the reflective surface's frame contained Asgardian elements. Twisting a few loose parts on the mirror's frame, Minato focused intently on his own reflection, until the appearance of a ripple changed the image that the mirror produced._

"That was a rather short journey," Thor spoke, his voice projected by the frame's corners, "it has only been twenty minutes."

"Really? It felt like an hour for me," the bluenette replied, causing the Asgardian to laugh, _"it really did."_

_After some talking over with everyone, and Loki (how did he even get this line?), the adopted son of Asgard decided to call it a night and rest._


End file.
